Cheaper means crueler.
Think about that the next time you’re browsing the meat aisles at your local supermarket.
Animals Australia are running a new campaign that aims to educate Australians on the realities of animal cruelty in this country. They say most Australians don’t know that the majority of pork, chicken and egg products they eat are actually produced in factory farms – where animals are bred in small dark cages and are almost immobilized.
They want people to know that cheap meat comes at a cost to animal welfare. And it’s consumer choice that will drive change.
Vote with your wallets, people. And take a look at this video:
Mamamia’s former news editor Rick Morton put together this cheat sheet all about factory farming in Australia. If you want the details on where your produce is coming from and how it got there, this is your place. (More information on this issue, including responses from the Farmer’s Federation to each of these claims is available here.)
Part of the advertising campaign from Voiceless to raise awareness about the realities of factory farming in Australia
Dairy calves
There’s a darker side to milk. Dairy cows are kept in a state of near-constant pregnancy, that they might produce the milk we’re used to having with our cereal. But the ‘poddy calves’ or ‘bobby calves’ are surplus to requirements and some 700,000 are destroyed each year and sold for meat. That would be the veal some of us love to order at restaurants.
The calves are taken from their mothers after a day and trucked away, sometimes going without food for a day at a time. Then they are slaughtered.
Beef Cattle
Cattle are generally raised free-to-roam on large slabs of land in Australia, but associated animal husbandry practices are not always humane. The RSPCA says fire branding (hot pokers that are pushed into the rump of the beast) is an ‘unacceptable’ form of branding but this does not mean it doesn’t happen.
Australia’s huge geography means that most welfare problems for beef cattle arise in their transport to abattoirs and conditions before and during slaughter. The animals are held in feedlots before slaughter which are far more confined and can stress cattle out if they are handled incorrectly, not fed properly or exposed to extreme heat and weather. Feedlots make up between 30 and 40% of the beef market.
Chickens
Industry chickens are bred for two reasons and two reasons only. For their eggs, or for their meat.
Battery hens, the machine-line egg producers, are almost universally assured a life without sunlight or open spaces. Many are kept in cages four-apiece with less than an A4 sized piece of paper to live in, according to welfare groups. There are 11 million of these battery hens in Australia.
As many as one in six live with broken bones as their cage conditions weaken their skeletons. When their egg laying rate inevitably slows, the hens are disposed of, around the age of 18 months. Male chicks don’t even make it that far. They are gassed or otherwise ‘ground up’ when they are born.
Meat chickens are a slightly different story. There are more than 400 million in Australia, raised to stack on the meat at three times their usual growth rate and slaughtered at five weeks. The forced weight-gain often results in the animals being crippled under the strain, or breaking bones altogether.
Pigs and factory farming. This is what it looks like.
Pigs
Pigs have the intelligence of a toddler many are subjected to factory farming where they are given no room to move and, you know, be pigs. Piglets have their teeth cut or filed back to ‘prevent damage’ to the sows from which they suckle. Those same sows are confined to tiny spaces for 16 weeks, unable to turn around or make themselves comfortable. When pregnant they are moved to an even smaller farrowing crate, immediately before giving birth.
Kangaroos
Kangaroos are shot and killed in huge numbers for their meat and skins, but not always ‘humanely’ as is required by the industry code of practice. As many as four cent are not killed with a head-shot as required and there are no figures to suggest how many are maimed and survive.
What do you think? How much do you think about where your food comes from, do you care? Or is ignorance bliss?
Comments
93 Comments so far
A picture can identify many words and history has both been made and preserved, through the art of photography. Anyone can bring about this brilliant legacy of photography. It just takes a good eye plus some bits of knowledge so it will be all get together. Take notice of the the information in the following paragraphs and you need to find something which benefits you.
Meeting up and joining with fellow photographers is a wonderful way to hone your craft. Consider it: Everyone meets up inside a vocation this way, from cyclists to soccer players. It’s only natural that photographers group together. Holding friendly little competitions and exploring the world together can enhance your skills.
Be creative when composing your shots. Photography is all about the visual effect of your shots. If it’s a mundane item inside a cluttered background, chances are good that no person will care to consider your photo. Learn how to build a good photo, then take those skills and apply these people to your own personal creative ideas.
Create the perfect photo! There is no such thing as having a great shot, if you do not just are actually at the right spot in the best time. For many the remainder of the times, great images need to be made by you, the photographer. Spend some time to set-in the images that you would like to shoot.
There are some shots that you don’t need to get the most detail and and then there are shots were your photo’s success is completely reliant on crisp and clear details. Facing the latter, try cutting your ISO setting. This will provide you with one of the most detail inside your shots.
While talent is surely an important factor in taking excellent photographs, there may be quite a bit of learned technique that goes into it too. Learning the newest techniques with a decent camera and practicing them repeatedly, should mention your confidence level. Understanding how to take great pictures may become much more rewarding.
loading...
Golf is actually a sport of patience and finesse. Golfers must coordinate their hands and eyes to hit the ball from the perfect spot about the green. The greater a golfer becomes, the greater number of their putting and driving skills increase. The advice on this page will help you turn into a better golf player.
Do your best to hook your wedges. You want to try and have more consistent shots. A wonderful way to find some good consistency with the wedge shots is usually to learn a medium-height draw that goes forward since it lands into the green and rolls about ten feet forward.
In case you are just from the green although the grass is too long to try a putt, try using a 7 or 8 iron to do a basic chip towards the hole. Utilizing the same technique you might use for any putt, a smooth stroke with a 7 or 8 iron will raise your ball just past the edge of the rough and fringe and after that allow it to roll smoothly around the green toward the hole.
Sign up to some literature handling golf. Various PGA magazines, shopping magazines, along with other things such as newsletters can help you stay in addition to the sport on the whole. Being a fan of golf and knowing what’s happening inside the sport can help keep you motivated and happy to boost your game.
With a lot of courses today providing the technology of GPS on his or her golf carts, make sure you make the most of what this handy measurement device are capable of doing. Whether providing you with the distance from tee to hazard off from the centre of the fairway for the green, use GPS to hone in your distance.
As said before at the beginning with this article, golf is a pleasurable activity that folks across the world enjoy participating in. Regardless if you are a beginner or perhaps expert, learning more about the video game of golf will do simply help your overall game. Use this advice the next time you might be around the green and you can find great success!
loading...
Work most effectively golf strategies escaping you? Do you not know just getting your handle on the green? Consider the tips on this article to guide you into a better game that’s not simply more enjoyable when you play, but isn’t just an activity you are dreading using the guys.
To teach your child golf, don’t be too technical. Your son or daughter is not really going to understand a great deal of golf jargon, and s/he won’t really care about form however, hitting the ball to the hole is likely to be very motivating. Commence with miniature golf and include a few trips towards the putting range to teach your child to love golf.
A helpful tip with regards to golf is to be sure that do you know what club to utilize in each situation. This is very important because each club is made a little differently and definately will greatly impact the outcome of your hit. In case you are unsure, check with somebody who does know or read up into it beforehand. It is not uncommon to speak with a pal or caddie while on the course.
So that you can increase your drive you want to begin with taking short consistent strokes while focusing on hitting a straight shot, even should it be just for fifty yards. Once you have a consistent technique and consistent fifty yard shot start swinging somewhat further back and a bit harder. Then don’t hit it any harder till the seventy yard is straight, the one hundred, and so on.
One important thing that factors to consider never to do is talk when someone is shooting. This really is a common rule which has been across the game for years, as noise are often very disruptive and disrespectful. Maintain proper etiquette when golfing in order to earn respect through your peers.
The information presented here are just some of the various ways you can find more out of your golfing experience. Provided that you possess a taste for the game, you are going to always find golf enjoyable. It can be very much more pleasurable if you use tips such as these to improve the results of your respective golfing efforts.
loading...
A common hobby that lots of many people have is photography. Photography lets people express their creative genius by using cameras to capture moments on film. For photographers, their hobby is not really an easy point and click on job, because they take into account different lighting effects and focus techniques. This post will present you with information about photography.
To shoot vintage-style photos, smear a dab of petroleum jelly in the outer edges of your camera lens (or utilize a lens filter, when you are worried about greasing your actual lens). This method blurs the sides of your shots, providing a fun, distorted look that mimics old-school photography.
Let the creativity flow when composing your shots. Photography is about the visual effect of your own shots. If it’s a mundane item inside a cluttered background, odds are good that nobody will care to look at your photo. Learn to develop a good photo, and after that take those skills and apply these to your personal ideas.
When framing your photo, always consider the rule of thirds. This should really be the rule of ninths, because you are envisioning your photo space into thirds both horizontally and vertically. Try and place your subject to the left or right, top or bottom, instead of dead center within the picture. As a result the viewer’s eyes move about the image rather than stareing straight into it.
There are several shots in which you don’t want to get probably the most detail and there are shots were your photo’s success is totally reliant on crisp and clear details. When dealing with the second, try lowering your ISO setting. This provides you with the most detail in your shots.
At the outset of this post, it absolutely was noted that whether you’re currently a newbie or even a more complex photographer, you are able to continue to learn new information that will help you enhance and refine your abilities. Utilize the helpful pointers on this page to sharpen your talent and enhance your abilities to accept best pictures possible.
loading...
Golf looks like an easy game because people just seem like they walk around hitting balls with clubs, but those who have ever played knows just how intricate the sport is. If you are thinking about trying out this past-time or simply want to boost your game, this article has helpful hints for you to incorporate.
To instruct your kids golf, don’t be too technical. Your baby is not gonna understand lots of golf jargon, and s/he won’t really care about form however, showing up in the ball in to the hole is bound to be very motivating. Start out with miniature golf and include a few trips towards the putting range to instruct your son or daughter to love golf.
Steer clear of the ‘grip it and rip it’ mentality off the tee should you be playing a brief par 4. Plan in advance and determine the place you want your second shot to become. Using this method, when the best, safest second shot originates from an extended distance from the green, you may decide on a shorter club away from the tee while keeping from launching a terrible drive that does you now good.
Prior to swing the golf club “?take time to align! Aligning yourself for the shot is simple enough to perform when you focus on a everywhere object setting your line. Concentrate on something in the distance, not the flag, that is incorporated in the direction you must swing based off wind and also other factors. Following that line back to you, find something on a lawn before you to concentrate on for that low. Achieving this takes your focus off the flag because it is not usually the target you might be aiming for directly.
“Make your eyes on your ball” is one of the most frequent pieces of golfing advice – with valid reason! A nicely-orchestrated golf swing involves a great deal of simultaneous motions should you give full attention to individual movements you lose the coordination needed for an excellent swing. Focusing your vision along with your attention on the ball permits you to produce a natural swing concentrated on the right target – launching the ball powerfully and accurately.
In conclusion, to be able to play golf well, you have to have patience. The mind and body has to be in perfect sync to land the perfect shot. This amount of synchronization and much better play is only able to be reached with more experience. By following the guidelines in the following paragraphs, you can be a better golfer.
loading...
These are not my own words. I found them posted on the AA website by a very smart woman named Geraldine. She does not recollect where she read them. I found this so profound, I want everybody to read it.
ISN’T MAN AN AMAZING ANIMAL? He kills wildlife – birds, kangaroos, deer, all types of cats, coyote, beavers, pigs, mice, foxes and dingoes – by the millions in order to protect his domestic animals and their feed. Then he kills his domestic animals by the billions and eats them. This in turn kills man by the million because eating all those animals leads to degenerative and fatal health conditions – heart disease, kidney disease and cancer. So then man tortures and kills millions more animals to look for cures for these disease. Elsewhere, millions of other human beings are dying from hunger and malnutrition because food they could eat is being used to fatten up the domestic animals. Meanwhile, some people are dying of sad laughter at the absurdity of man, who kills so easily and so violently, and once a year, sends out cards praying for ‘Peace on Earth’.
Thought for food.
loading...
For those of you wanting to get the farmers side of the story or ask questions head over to Ask An Aussie Farmer https://www.facebook.com/askanaussiefarmer. You can have your food and fibre questions answered by those who produce it for you. Any question is welcome, nothing is too “silly”. However abuse will not be tolerated.
loading...
Feedlots operate on very narrow profit margins and good kg weight gain per day is vital to viability. Weight gains amongst other factors can be influenced by as written in this article, “can stress cattle out if they are handled incorrectly, not fed properly or exposed to extreme heat and weather”
These variables are closely managed on a daily basis & the feedlot operation is regulated under NFAS (National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme) and independent AusMeat auditors, which ensures animal welfare.
loading...
To those of you who call vegans “extreme” or “judgmental”, yes. Some are. But many of us are just pointing out facts. Which often results in ridicule, anger, deflection, denial, accusations of preaching, being hippies, being self-righteous…
I think these reactions are sometimes due to feeling guilty because you have an uncomfortable feeling, deep down, that we may just know what we’re talking about, and you are employing the conversational equivalent of sticking your fingers in your ears and singing loudly.
If you don’t care, ok. If you feel guilty, understandable. But own it. It’s lazy and unfair to say it is the fault of animal rights advocates for simply pointing out an inconvenient truth. The fact that you don’t want to hear it doesn’t make it less true. If you feel bad, why is that our fault?
You would be surprised to find that I would actually have a lot of compassion and sympathy for you if you owned your feelings. But attacking us because we are saying something you don’t want to hear? Not really fair, is it?
As for veganism being extreme, I think it’s pretty extreme to inflict horrendous suffering on an innocent being so people can eat a burger.
loading...
@Diana TH
I have no guilt at all in pointing out what parts of an article such as this one are without a factual basis. Veganism is a life choice option free for any to take up; what is extreme is some trying to impose their beliefs on everyone through misleading, emotive misinformation.
Those of us who support the farming community against attacks such as campaigns by Animals Australia are simply pointing out an inconvenient truth to these animal activists and in return are met with ridicule, anger, deflection, denial, preaching and self-righteousness
loading...
This is a great summary of what factory farmed animals have to endure during their short, miserable lives. Being a vegetarian for a few years now, I have been woken up the reality of where meat comes from and what it really contains.
What people tend to forget is that ‘we are what we eat’.
For starters, factory farmed animals are injected with growth hormones to speed up the numbers that the farmers produce. They are subjected to living in overcrowded, dirty, toxic places. Factory farmed pigs and chickens live in totally enclosed buildings with no exposure to the outdoors or sunlight throughout their entire lives.
Factory farmed pigs and cows are forced to breathe in the toxic gases that their bodies excrete such as methane. Understandably, they get sick all the time, so farmers pump them full of antibiotics to keep them alive. It is also very common for factory farmed cows to develop mastitis; a very painful udder infection that can become systemic. This is the result of being forced to produce 10-20 times more milk than they would in a natural environment.
It is this type of non-transparency that keeps the industry going. I’m sure that if people were given all the facts, many would reconsider what they eat.
loading...
Natalie – dairy cows in Australia ARE NOT factory farmed!!!!
They are allowed to free range daily, in the sunshine & rain, lay down and eat grass, herbs, weeds etc.
They are also not FORCED to produce 10 – 20 times more milk than they would – it is selective breeding (much like specific breeds of dogs, cats, birds etc). Mastitis is something that farmers work daily on preventing, and treating ASAP to ensure cows are not in pain or discomfort. Interesting – human females develop mastitis regularly – and they are not selectively bred to produce large quantities of milk.
The use of growth hormones is prohibited under law in certain meat industries. Animals which are constantly exposed to the smell of their own faeces and urine have growth inhibition – something that farmers realistically DO NOT want, it is unproductive.
I do not support factory farming – but do not confuse ALL farming practices with Factory farming
loading...
No matter what the conditions are like, the babies are taken from their mothers usually one day after birth. So that YOU can drink the breastmilk designed for their calve. Also the male calves are all killed. How can anybody think this is ok?
loading...
Jessa – How can you know what goes on in every dairy farm? Can I ask where are you getting your information? My mind will never be changed from the fact that taking a calf away from its mother within 24-48 hours for slaughter is INHUMANE AND CRUEL!!!!
loading...
I lived behind a dairy farm and what I saw was disgusting. One calf still had the umbilical cord attached and my little brother and sister (about 10 and 12 at the time) didn’t know what it was. They went and told the farm hand and he said “oh don’t worry, I’ll be hitting him over the head later”. I asked the farmers’ young daughter what they do to the male calves (they don’t produce milk so are useless to dairy farmers) and she said “we’ll by the time we get the truck out here to pick them up for veal production we on,y end up with 5 bucks a cow, so sometimes we shoot them and sometimes we just hit them on the head with a pipe”. My mother also saw the farm hand pick up a male calf that was grazing with its mother. He threw it onto the back of the ute and drove off. The mother was bellowing and running after the ute for ages. Dairy cows endure so much stress, year after year until their bodies are spent, then they’re sent off to slaughter like other cows. And who thinks it’s normal to drink the breast milk designed for animals that turn into one tonne beasts? Dairy is BAD for humans but it’s such a lucrative industry that the government tells us to consume, consume, consume!
loading...
This is a little sensationalized! No one likes to see an animal be killed but the fact of the matter is people have to eat. Yes I agree there are ways we can improve things but unless we all go back to raising and caring for our own livestock to live on, factory farms are the only way we can cater for the demand. I think it’s time we gave the farmers a break or go and grow all your own food!
loading...
Go and grow your own food then.
loading...
Sadly it’s not sensationalised at all Ally. If you really believe it is, you need to educate yourself further on the topic.
If humans ate less meat, and stopped being so wasteful, factory farming would not be necessary.
If anyone deserves a break, it’s the animals.
loading...
I would say it is sensationalised –
not ALL farms in australia are factory farms – in fact the industries are currently working at phasing out factory farming, sow stalls etc before AA started campaigning for donations.
There are plenty of chicken, beef, pork and dairy farms out there who operate ethical independent farms who sell direct to the public.
If you are concerned – look these up and shop with those!
loading...
Ethical farms? Wait, you mean there’s ethical slaughter? Like ethical rape or ethical murder? Sorry but there’s nothing ethical about the meat, dairy and egg industry.
loading...
People do need to eat, but people do NOT need to eat animals.
loading...
Excellent article! I am so passionate about this topic. I was a vegetarian for over 10 years from childhood to my early twenties. I also made sure I only ate free range eggs although sometimes it is difficult to know if they’re truly ‘free range’. Now I eat fish and very occasional chicken and lamb. I will only have organic chicken and organic grass fed lamb and am super fussy as I know not all brands are equal. For example I now don’t touch Lilydale after finding out they’re not as ‘free range’ and fabulous as they make out to be. There are only a couple of truly organic chicken brands so it is difficult to find them but worth it. I struggle with how indifferent most people seem to be around this issue. Even my mother knows how horrendous factory farming is yet continues to buy the cheapest meats at Coles. Fortunately I have got her into buying free range eggs and chicken so that’s an improvement. My sister is vegan and I struggle with whether I should be vegan or embrace eating small amounts of organic meats.
loading...
I struggle with the same questions; I’ve tried going vego/vegan so many times, but unfortunately I feel a lot more energetic and healthy when eating the occasional bit of meat.
My local organic store owner said something which stuck with me- you can take your money out of meat and/or dairy altogether, and that will help to an extent, or you can spend your money with truly organic/free range small scale producers who care about their animals, and actively contribute to better animal farming.
loading...
Thank you for the article. It is good to be more conscious of what is going on around us. I shall be shopping more consciously from now on.
I’d like to extend this idea to the hoodwinking that goes on regarding other foods such as vegetables. It seems everyone is trying to make a buck at the expense of the consumer. For example, I have heard that frozen vegetables from NZ can be labelled as such, although they may come actually from China. Some law loophole leads us to believe we are getting clean veggies when they may well have been grown down the road from a toxic leaking dump (I saw this is an SBS documentary). This is just one example of what goes on…
Also, regarding organic produce – how do we know the standards for ‘organic’ if the produce comes from china or thailand? We do not know their laws.
And lastly, tricky food labeling in this country. ‘No MSG’ usually rings an alarm for me because it often means that instead of the ‘sodium’ variety, they have used the ‘potassium’ variety – ie it does the same thing, has the same allergic reaction. Next time you pick up a package, look at the ingredients and see how many numbers there are on there – and do you know what these numbers mean?
When will we get it together and start to care for each other instead of focusing on the almighty dollar?
With rates of autism, ASD and hyperactivity rising these days, and the link to the toxicity of our world – be it food, air quality, or anything else we come in contact with – we really do need to be more concerned about our practices.
loading...
I don’t eat pork or lamb and am lucky enough to be able to buy free range and organic chicken, eggs, milk and beef – so I do.
Can someone please explain to me how this treatment of farm animals is legal!? If it were a Labrador instead of a pig in those cages the RSPCA would be called immediately. How is it any different for livestock? I don’t understand….
loading...
I am vegan for this very reason. And I couldn’t be happier about it. One of the best decisions I ever made.
loading...
It is legal as it can be in the best interest of the animal. Yes the sows (female pigs) are in confined spaces, but this method was introduced to protect them and their young. The below link goes into more detail, but in a nutshell they limit disease and stop bullying, pigs will attack other females vulvas when they are aggressive.
http://www.freshporkfarmers.co.nz/skin_dryStalls.cfm?request=dryStalls
loading...
last year animal welfare agencies destroyed 250,000 pets due to neglect and mistreatment.
loading...
Thanks for spreading the word and doing the work on behalf of animals. I’ll love you forever if you do a story about Palm Oil and the Orang-utans
loading...
just to the people saying they can’t afford to eat organic meat – go vegetarian – its way cheaper. I feed a family of four on 150 a week – heaps of veges, environmentally sound cleaning products, plenty of lentils and tofu – healthy AND cheap.
loading...
yes it is sad. why can’t we just be considerate and caring in the first place. I wish there was a pill that makes us feel the effects of our actions. Every hurt we inflict on another would come back to us. Then maybe we’d stop and consider how to do something differently. And if we were really smart, we’d work out that if we treated others with kindness and concern, then the joy we bring to that person will be our own joy! Now that would put a stop to all evil in this world!
loading...
Bravo Mia and Mamamia for publishing this article. It is just heartbreaking.
loading...
My husband and I own a butcher shop in a small shopping strip. Everything we stock is locally grown, organic, free range etc. Most butcher shops are the same, they stock meat from better conditions. That’s why it is sometimes more expensive, but the quality is better and the ethical side of things is a bit less murky. So if you are unsure, start asking these sorts of questions about where it comes from, most butchers will be happy to answer them. I used to be a vegetarian (for over a decade) so I’m still very fussy about where my meat comes from.
loading...
Good luck getting a free pass to have a look in the abattoir.
“Humane meat” is a myth.
loading...
Diana have you ever been through an abattoir? You do know that it is in the best interests of everyone that the animals are not stressed and in good condition? If the animals are stressed it raises their Ph levels which in turn makes for tough meat.
loading...
Members with the invitation-only "Brocial Network" are encouraged to scour the pages of their female friends for lingerie and bikini pictures, or "those that reveal a little too much".
After uploading photos, the members – known as Bros – post the women’s names and links to their personal Facebook pages.
A "Brocial Code" sets out a list of rules that must be followed to remain a member and access the page.
They are kicked out if they do not upload photos within a week of being added.
Images of twenty one-year old Jade was shocked that images of her and her friends on holiday were circulated on the site without her consent.
”I’m a little bit angry, to be honest. If it was one of my friends who has copied a photo of me to put on a public website and not let me know then I’d feel extremely betrayed,” she said.
”I think it’s just perverted and disgusting and wrong … it’s wrong that they can take photos of innocent women who have no idea that these photos are being used on a public site where men can just go at] whenever they like,” she said.
The sleazy group has renewed calls for regulation of social media, as there are currently no privacy laws governing the sharing of private images on websites such as Facebook and Twitter.
loading...
Huh?
loading...
I was raised on a farm and still work in the ag industry. Some of these points are very valid and some factory farming processes are quite barbaric. Where I think this campaign goes wrong is to insinuate that these farms have been hidden! All the farmers I know are happy for ppl to come and experience their farms/lifestyle/livelihoods first hand and happy to answer any questions about their practices! Majority of the population have chosen to ignore these farming methods and where their food comes from as a whole! It seriously worries me that people are getting thier information from videos like this one and will go no further for info…
loading...
The Prime Minister yesterday invoked what can be ‘ described as the "Scores strip-club excuse" when he claimed to have "no recollection" of making the comment to 26-year-old Nina Funnell at a function in January. "I have absolutely no recollection of saying anything like that, and you know something, they are not my views," he said on ABC TV’s Insiders program.
"I have exactly the reverse views. I have been passionate about the role of women in the economy, in business, in society, pursuing their own individual careers."
But Ms Funnell, a researcher with the Journalism and Media Research Centre at the University of NSW, refused to back down yesterday, likening the Prime Minister’s remarks to Prince Harry wearing a Nazi costume at a fancy dress party.
"When Prince Harry wore that Nazi uniform, it doesn’t mean he’s a Nazi sympathiser, it just means he made a stupid and offensive social gaffe and he should know better," Ms Funnell told The Australian.
"I don’t think Mr Rudd is a misogynist and I do respect some of the work he’s done. But he made a terrible social gaffe and someone in his position should have known much better."
loading...
Lauren – the points you’ve made are crucial to this issue.
Relating the plight of animals in farming to your pets IS where the road to being vegetarian often starts.
The deal-breaker for me is that the animals die…. Either you believe that that’s okay, or you don’t.
The other point is our freedom of choice………….some people are starving or living in the utter depths of poverty and despair – they don’t have a choice….but most of us in this society do.
So I’m exercising my choice to NOT be part of the “animals for food” cycle………..you don’t have to – but I simply must.
loading...
A very timely piece: I was just talking to a friend yesterday about how I only buy certified free range, ethically approved eggs. I can’t handle the thought of them being caged, barned or anything else.
I rarely buy meat (except fish), opting instead to get protein from tofu, legumes, yoghurt and the above-mentioned eggs. But when I do I spend the extra money and get free-range. Actually, if you’re making soup or stew, Lilydale has very affordable offcuts I’ve found.
Ignorance may be bliss, but I doubt anyone is 100% ignorant to the way we treat animals for food (among other things). And seeing as I’m not ignorant, I would rather stand by my decisions with conviction than feel guilt eating away at me.
loading...
Free range hens are ‘barned’.
loading...
That’s not always the case Lily, it depends on what organisation certifies them. FREPA and BFA, for example have high standards that would make it nigh impossible to keep hens cooped up in barns. The following links are what I’ve used for reference in the past so that I know I’m shopping ethically (also I get mine from friends when I can):
http://www.ethical.org.au/issues/?issue=27
http://www.animalsaustralia.org/features/eggs-demystified.php
loading...
Getting eggs from friends’ backyards is certainly better, but even certified free range hens are kept in barns. They are required to have access to an outdoor area but in practice this can be a couple of meters attached to the barn.
All of this aside, all egg producers kill the hens when they are no longer ‘productive’ – when they are still very young. Also all the male chicks are killed, often ground up alive. If you eat eggs at all you are supporting this cruelty.
(It’s also worth noting that eggs are some of the highest cholesterol containing foods- one egg has more cholesterol than two Big Macs. Eggs are completely unecessary to a healthy diet.)
loading...
Clearly not all egg producers are the same Lily! Eggs have many health benefits and cholesterol is not bad for everyone.
loading...
Thanks for this article Mamamia! I’ve only very recently become vegetarian after 27 years of eating meat. I also rarely consume dairy products since learning about the bobby calf practices, and on the rare occasions I do I buy organic brands like Paris Creek (they have much more humane practices, but still some calves are sold to butchers) I used to think it would be impossible for me to cut animals products out, and to be honest I never really gave eating meat much thought. But once I started, I was suprised at how easy it was. I just couldn’t look at our little labrador anymore and see the difference in a factory farming/eating pig or factoryfarming/eating him. I mean, lets be honest – pigs are just as intelligent and sentient as dogs. Imagine cages and cages of dogs lined up one after the other, forced into small spaces where they can barely move, and forced to birth litter after litter – and then those puppies having their tails and teeth cut out. It is exactly the same thing.
loading...
Why does this article not discuss free-range options?
loading...
Just a quick comment that it’s very hard to vote with your wallet when your feeding a family of four on $150 per week. That’s not going to cover free range eggs, meat, local dairy products and safe cleaning products.
loading...
there’s so much competition with free range eggs these days, I reckon you could afford them – I buy mine for $3.50 a dozen from a butcher. shopping at a farmers market will also cut your veggie and fruit bill in half.
loading...
If you only eat a little meat and bulk up the meals with cheap veggies I believe you can make it work. You can buy a tin of bean/lentils/chickpeas for about $1 and 1 can usually does me for 4 meals worth of protein.
loading...
Go VEGAN! It’s cheap, healthy, easy, and delicious.
loading...
i am so happy this issue is finally being addressed and becoming a mainstream issue. I too am vegetarian as a direct result of finding out about factory farming practices, it is absolutely disgusting. I know many meat eaters (including my partner and parents) who have no idea this happens to animals, but most people are disgusted when they find out and i hope that if everyone bands together and objects to this horrific practice something may actually change for these poor animals! . As the say ignorance is bliss, but the more is put out there the more people learn and can say no to this!
loading...
I commend you for being vegetarian for the animals (I do) but please know that there is cruelty involved in dairy and egg farming also.
loading...
Animal’s Australia campaign: http://www.makeitpossible.com/
I think it’s interesting that Mamamia post this when they support beauty products tested on animals. I think it’s great you’re bringing awareness to the treatment of factory farmed animals but hypocritical at the same time in regards to the make up you chose to sell and promote.
loading...
http://www.makeitpossible.com/take_action/
loading...
Thanks for the article, but without some tips on how to buy better, it’s really rather pointless. Or is the point that we’re all supposed to become vegetarians?
loading...
Agreed. I find this kind of movement presumptuous – some people simply can’t afford to buy “ethically”. If you can’t help them get around this, don’t preach to them about ethics.
I am as affected by genuine animal cruelty as anyone else, but I also believe this is a first world problem. Most people in Australia have never been truly hungry.
Survival will more often than not trump these kind of ethics.
loading...
Buy free-range. Just eat less of it if you can’t afford it. Works for me and my family.
loading...
I usually buy organic (wasn’t talking about myself up there), but I don’t think it’s OK to expect others to do the same and this kind of campaign does nothing to help them.
I remember reading a story by an African girl who had written about having a pet goat, raising it, feeding it, playing with it, adoring it – and then eating it. She was abused by readers who thought this was unethical. Little did they consider that this was THE ONLY THING her family of six had to eat for a month.
My personal experience of people who campaign this kind of thing has been poor. They are too black and white.
Be a vegetarian if you want. Buy what your ethics call for. But DON’T expect it of others.
loading...
I don’t think these types of campaigns are saying “Eat free range or you’re a bad person!!” – it’s just about making people more aware.
For instance, I religiously buy freerange eggs and freerange chicken.. but have never really thought about bacon or beef. Clueless! This campaign has opened my eyes. I’m in a financial position to vote with my wallet, and it fits with my values to pay more for food that I feel is ethically sourced. So that’s a good outcome for all!
And when more people buy freerange, and demand increases, supply costs will come down and it will become more affordable for all. Just look at freerange eggs. They used to be one small section of Coles and woolies, now it’s almost ALL freerange and cage eggs occupy a tiny space. Hopefully the same will happen with meat!
loading...
It is the milk I feel sick about. Is it only Organic milk or soy, almond etc that will make a difference??
loading...
I do eat meat, but I make sure I know where my food comes from, and that I’m happy about how it was treated to get to me.
This usually means going with an organic source. Yes, this means it’s very expensive to eat meat, but it’s possible to do. Instead of meat every night, try only 3/4 times a week.
I have been doing this ever since I was in charge of buying my own food, but my husband used to be pretty ambilivent, no matter how much I tried to explain it to him. After seeing Animals Australias latest campign ad though, he said he finally understood why I do it, and promised he would from now on too. Something in the ad touched him, even more so when I told him it’s been proven pigs are more intelligent than dogs, some estimates even putting their intelligence at the same level as that of our daughter’s.
THANK YOU ANIMALS AUSTRALIA!!!
loading...
we eat meat and recently we’ve made the change to free-range. It is more expensive but the quality is better and I feel a lot better about it.
thanks for the article
loading...
I’ve been a vegetarian for over 25yrs because of these animal cruelty issues.
My family are not and they only have organic free-range,
These foods are more expensive so they eat less of them
I’m not into shaming people but I am concerned about educating them.
The schools are the best place to start and it should give children (particularly in High Schools) the knowledge (about animal cruelty ) they need to make proper informed choices……..include better education about balanced nutrition too and also add the health consequences of consuming too many animal products and processed and fast food.
Some people have little (or no) empathy for other animals….they feel entitled to eat them and “consume the world” as they see fit.
One day I was in the supermarket and an old lady saw my organic free-range eggs and asked “Why are you buying those ?”……I just said “Happier chooks” …she laughed and bought some for herself.
Such a small gesture but so important .
loading...
I too am vegetarian and it was the best thing I’ve done. I was always full of guilt every time there was an animal cruelty story on, the Indonesian beef cattle saga was just horrific. There are so many other animals out there right now living in terrible circumstances, all for the human dinner plate. (Pigs are so intelligent I don’t know how anyone could eat pork!!)
Now I know I am not directly causing any animal to be killed or tortured, I am not adding to the greenhouse problem and I feel better too!
loading...
I only buy our meat from ‘Feather & Bone’ who are an ethical meat supplier in Sydney. We eat meat less regularly now because it is more expensive but I prefer to eat less meat and have a clear conscious about where it comes from and the conditions that the animals have lived/ been slaughter in.
loading...
Been waiting for Feather & Bone to open a Melbourne virtual storefront! I’m on their email list and it makes me quite envious of Sydney-siders.
In the meantime, I end up going to THREE markets to do our mostly organic and 99.9% grown in Australia shopping…it’s a bit exhausting, but most of the time I think it is worth it.
loading...
I completely agree that animal cruelty is not acceptable but I’d also love to see an article anywhere about what actually happens on agricultural properties. My husband and I run cattle stations in Queensland and NSW and let me assure you, we do not like seeing any of our animals hurt (and we have thousands of beef cattle in our care). Most producers work very hard to ensure that their stock is taken care of and I know many farmers who lose sleep over the welfare of their animals.
While the two supermarket chains are promoting milk for a $1 a litre and lamb at $12 per kilo then factory farming will exist as these prices simply aren’t sustainable.
I would love to show you all the other side of the story that so many people just don’t realise – not all farmers are money hungry animal haters!
loading...
As a non-farming, city dweller, I would love to read about this too.. Unfortunately this issue always seems to get incredibly one-sided coverage..
loading...
Exactly… But the only way city people can reward good farming practices and stamp out the bad ones is AT THE CHECK OUT….
I went to Woolworths last week and asked if there was any lamb that wasn’t classed under this stupid ‘lamb sale prices..’ and when there wasn’t…. I went to my local butcher and brought full price lamb….
If enough people actually care about thier food, animals and our farmers then things will change… if not then all there will be is corporate run factory farms…
Seriously
loading...
Great idea Jess! Noted
loading...
Of course there is another side to the story which is presented by powerful lobby groups such as Dairy Australia, Meat & livestock Australia, ‘Australian Pork’,…. I think you get my drift
loading...
would love to see a story direct from the farmers!!
loading...
It is great to know that you care for your cattle so well. I worry about who gets the cattle after you sell them. Remember the cruelty in Indonesia and other countries when our cattle is exported there. Once you sell the cattle, how is it treated then?
loading...
Yes I do know what I eat, yes I do know what it comes from, where is comes from, how it comes to me, and yes I choose to eat meat/eggs/animal products and drink milk.
I am also well aware that some of these conditions outlined above are not the norm in many cases anymore, that industries and farmers are changing with the times. What was acceptable once is no longer and there is the ability to produce these products and make money without having to ‘factory farm’ as once was the case. Like in society where there is always the 1% idiot factor in any crowd, there is always a cowboy in an industry who is doing the wrong thing – I don’t think the general public should be shown these things and be told they happen in every instance, because they don’t.
I am pleasantly suprised that there’s not an extensive beration of producers in this article which has so often been the case on Mamamia, and that some of the emotional wording has been taken out, as have some of the incorrect facts that have been published previously.
I will not be bullied, guilted, or shamed into not eating meat, nor will an article like this change my mind. I conciously choose what I eat on a range of things – some times it HAS to be price, some times it is on taste, sometimes it is on freshness and availabilty some times it is on animal welfare.
loading...
You sound very defensive! And “HAS” to be price…sounds like you will starve without meat. Not true. And 1% “idiot” factor in this industry – the $ factor as a motivator is a lot greater than 1%. As this video or a bit of googling would tell you. Glad you are happy with your choices just as I am with mine. Very happy knowing I do not contribute to animal suffering.
loading...
Yes, I do care and fortunately, can afford to pay the extra for free range/organic meat etc where able.
I don’t buy veal because of the poddy calf thing and haven’t bought “standard” chicken or eggs for years. I will buy free range pork/beef/lamb where possible. I know it’s only a small action on the large scale of things, but I hope if lots of us do this that it helps.
Jamie Oliver had a series on this sort of thing that I watched. I’m a meat eater and comfortable with that, but I don’t believe in cruelty to an animal that will ultimately sacrifice its life so I can eat. I hope this sort of education also helps reduce waste.
loading...
Buying organic animal products does make a huge difference – you are supporting a very important industry. I am a vegetarian and I feel that if you are consistent with buying organic (including when eating out) then you would be making just as much of a difference as I (hope that I) am.
loading...
We do have some vegetarian meals (probably not as many as we could), as I’ve heard that even that can help. I think it helps if you fish, or have eaten rabbits, crabs etc you’ve caught yourself. You see what you’re doing and it makes you think. The last time I went yabbying with my FIL, I went through the pots and put back the pregnant females. I couldn’t stand the thought of stripping the place.
loading...
I care but right now I can’t afford the extra. I’ve cut back the amount of meat I’m eating greatly as a result, but I love meat, so I do still eat it, even when I can’t afford the free range stuff.
The hardest bit I find is justifying the extra expense to a partner who doesn’t feel the same way I do. I just don’t know how to explain this stuff to him so that he will understand.
loading...
Show him a doco on it. Jamie Oliver’s is one. Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall did another one about where he took on Tesco in the UK over their cheapo factory farmed chickens. It may help.
loading...
Anyone who is seriously concerned about this stuff, I cannot recommend highly enough the documentary Earthlings. Google it, the whole thing is available online for free.
loading...
Love you… Just saying.
What you are doing is what we all should be doing…
loading...
I’m not attacking you personally, just reinforcing it because I am gobsmacked there are still so many people who are unaware, but not buying veal won’t do a thing. It’s dairy which creates the problem.
loading...
Thanks for that, not.
I actually knew that already about the poddy calves and dairy cows. One of my colleagues grew up on a dairy farm.
We don’t eat veal because I’m not going to eat calves that have been killed because they’re “useless”.
The only thing I could do is replace milk with soy and I don’t particularly like it, (nor does my family and i have inflicted it on them) or in fact any of the other milks available.
You clearly have your own ideals, as do I, but don’t assume people don’t know the issues because their actions aren’t the same as yours.
loading...
Yes, but what I’m saying is your not eating veal will not stop the calves from being “useless”. It’s buying dairy which creates the problem. No dairy, no “useless” calves. So your noble abstinence is totally meaningless.
loading...
I find it very hard to read these articles. If I had to kill my own animals in order to to eat meat, I would definitely be a vegetarian and most likely a vegan. I only buy organic and free range meat and eggs at a hefty cost, but it means I feel slightly less guilty.
loading...
I too always thought if I had to kill my own meat I would be vegetarian; four years ago this thought led me to become vegetarian and I am loving it. Still eating eggs and milk but choosing those carefully.
Great article to make sure we are conscious of the impact of our food choices.
loading...
Hi mamamia, i would love to see an article on consumer choice. What are the options available & what do they actually mean – for example if you buy something labelled ‘organic’ ‘free range’ etc what does this mean for the animals & is it consistantly regulated? I would love to learn more about whether buying the premium meat products will actually impact on the conditions in which the animals are kept. Thanks
loading...
Me too, i’m always so confused when i get to the egg Aisle. And do i buy free range chicken or RSPCA certified??
loading...
You can flick through this:
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/237831/organic-livestock-production-and-marketing.pdf
Which outlines the basic ideas of organic farming and agriculture in Australia (NSW)- in short, the standard of life for animals on organic farms is heavenly in comparison to factory farmed animals.
You should definitely watch Food Inc – it’s based on the American Food Industry but it’s still very enlightening and a very very interesting film.
http://www.takepart.com/foodinc/film
loading...
I would take anything the DPI (and the RSPCA, for that matter) says in terms of welfare with a large grain of salt.
loading...
I’ve been a vegetarian for 17 years, I can’t look at a piece of meat without thinking of where it came from and of the animal suffered.
loading...